I'm still using a 5 year old iphone 5. I see no need to upgrade! Just put on a battery case from Amazon that allows me to use the phone all day without recharging. Who's with me? No new phones!!!

I am with you to a point. I use android phones. My plan is to use a phone until it stops getting security/OS updates, or until it becomes inadequate for my needs. That is generally a pretty long time, though not 5 years. I'm on my second smartphone, I was a late adopter. First one was a Moto G 3rd gen, which I decided was underpowered after using it for a few years. Now on a Nexus 5x, which I intend to keep until it stops getting updates, as I'm quite content with it. I don't need new "hot" phones myself.

You know the recent apple scandal where they purposely reduced the speed of the phone as time went by to make you think you needed a new phone? Well, my iPhone 4S running ios 7.1 predates the code in the operating system to make performance drop with time. Move over, you iPhone ten people with slowing down phones as I scream past you with my 6 year old Ferrari.

Nope, traded in the iPhone 5 that had been sitting unused for 3+ years, for a $425 discount on a Note 8. Pretty darn good return, considering I paid $200 for it 5 years ago (AT&T very shortly after that eliminated contracts and grandfathered it as an "owned" phone, so I really did pay $200 for it).

I still have a 5 but somehow my photos and music use so much memory, they don't sync too well with my MacBook pro. I've had to delete most of my apps to keep it running smoothly. If I have to upgrade, I don't really know which iPhone to choose as this point with all of the bad press on the later models.also, I thinkI would probably get $40 from AT&T as a trade-in.

About 4 months ago I got an SE @ Target for $149.99+tax (AT&T 32GB, but we have a OneDrive subscription and pictures/videos are by far my biggest memory drain) and sold my 5 for 40 bucks on CL. I used to be in your shoes, but there are cheap upgrade options available that provide you with performance and camera improvements that are irrefutable. The chip and RAM improvement is night and day, and you'll notice it immediately. I also get >24hr battery life out of my SE. I'd recommend you look into something like that. Unless you're living paycheck to paycheck, these improvements seem to more than justify the cost. I think most people keeping them nowadays are just doing it for "bragging rights".

Old Tom Bombadil is a merry fellow, |
Bright blue his jacket is, and his boots are yellow. |
None has ever caught him yet, for Tom, he is the master: |
His songs are stronger songs, and his feet are faster.

I now have an employer provided smartphone, but until a year ago I had a flip phone. In 18yrs I have had a grand total of 4 phones, including this new smartphone and my flip phone still functions flawlessly.

I'm using an LG MyTouch Q that I bought in January 2012. Running original OS of Android 2.3.6 on original battery. Battery life is now down to about 20 minutes of active use. Can't get any better than 2G service because T-Mobile has continually updated their frequencies, leaving mine to get worse and worse. No signal at work; spotty signal at home. Calls typically drop every five minutes and I spend most of the call wondering what the other person said. Most websites won't load (I can Google things, but not click on the results) - only text-based websites work (such as bogleheads.org and reddit.com).

But it has a physical keyboard (that comes out of the long side of the phone), that I love so very much. I can text, e-mail, and otherwise post long things so fast. Faster than my teenage sister can text with Swype.

At some point, though, the keyboard is no longer worth it. I'm considering getting a new phone. Something with a front-facing camera, the charging port at the bottom instead of the top, still uses the old micro-USB port, no fingerprint scanner, and has a removable battery / SIM card. Ideally it'd also have no "Okay, Google" or other voice-activated features, but it appears every phone has them (but I can opt not to enable them). I'm thinking the Samsung Galaxy J7.

I'm with you. I have a iPhone 6+. As long as it remains functional I'm planning to keep it until 5G comes out and is well supported by the carriers. I expect that may be at least another 5 years. My wife is still happy with her 4S (purchased Dec. 2011).

Last edited by Leif on Wed Jan 24, 2018 11:29 am, edited 1 time in total.

I just replaced the battery in my dying 5s DIY. Now it runs like a new one without a bulky battery case. cost for the battery: $20.

Where did you buy the battery? what equipment did you use to perform the swap. I am in precisely this situation with my 5s.

Several of my family members revived 5s's for the grand kids use. Worked perfectly. You can buy the battery that includes the install kit for a total of about $25 from Amazon. The tools required are 1) micro screwdriver, 2) suction cup similar to hanging a sun catcher in the window, and 3) plastic pry tool, a guitar pick work fine as well. Lot's of how to's on the internet and Youtube. Fairly easy for this model iphone if your okay with taking apart small electronic parts and such.

Even though I'm a software development executive, I generally keep devices for quite a while. However, with the amount of time I use my phone, generally the battery is noticeably degraded in about 1 year, and almost unusable somewhere in the 2-3 year range. Therefore, I replace mine whenever the phone stops holding a charge for my whole day, which is generally around 2 years. Yes, I could get charging cases and such, but I generally like my phone to be slim and simple.

Cheers to those who keep their phones for longer though, it's good for the environment as well as the pocketbook!

I just replaced the battery in my dying 5s DIY. Now it runs like a new one without a bulky battery case. cost for the battery: $20.

Where did you buy the battery? what equipment did you use to perform the swap. I am in precisely this situation with my 5s.

Bought it from amazon. The kit came with necessary tools (screw driver, case sucking cup etc.). But I used an iFixit Pro tool kit. The process was a bit tough for a first timer like me. The screws are tinny to see with my aging eyes. And removing the glue underneath the old battery was scary. I had to use a hair dryer to loosen it. You need to watch some youtube videos before doing it right. Now that I did it once, it will be easier next time when my other iPhone batteries need to be replaced. There is an app (battery life) which measures the battery efficiency.

Anyway, if you want guaranteed outcome and peace of mind. Having it done at an Apple store for $80 is not so bad.

My iPhone 5S is now 4 years old and has acted as a work / personal phone, been dropped and in industrial environments with solvents and dusts. It runs like an absolute champion. I have zero intention on replacing it. If I do it'll be for an iPhone SE.

I just got a new Samsung S8 as a dedicated work phone, paid for by company, and so far I think the phone is nice but certainly would never pay the astronomical amount of money for it.

The form factor of the 5S is tough to beat, but I find the screen a tad small.
The S8 has a great screen for reading, but is much more challenging to operate w/ one hand.
I suppose one size in between would be perfect.

Me? I've got my trusty little (and it *is* nice and *small*!) BlackBerry, with a nifty little keyboard that my fingernails can click on quite easily.
And i can *feel* when the little keys depress, just like with my nice Olympic typewriter.
Okay, i did finally upgrade to a Correcting Selectric

But seriously, I want a *little* cell phone, and one with *keys*.
I also like vinyl records, real books with nice covers, and clocks/watches with fancy faces and "hands".

A true skeleton clock or watch, with the full moving innards, is "one of my favorite things".

I'm a dinosaur, and proud of it!
I also like a car with the latest/greatest safety features, so I guess I'm a hybrid...

P.S. I also like it when people are polite, and when they use the Oxford comma.

I replaced the battery in my iPhone 5 and got another year out of it before deciding to upgrade to a 7. I can see how a X -> Xs model might be a marginal upgrade but going from a 5 to a 7 was a huge leap.

I have a Samsung Galaxy S3, manufactured in 2012 and purchased used on eBay in 2015. The battery is no problem as it is easily switched out, no tools required. New batteries are about $10. I am noticing that applications are running slower as they are continuously updated and optimized for more powerful hardware. I also have some concerns about security, since I'm stuck running Android 4.4 which is no longer receiving security updates, as far I know. But I'll keep it as long as I possibly can.

I don't even have a protective case for it. It has proven to be quite durable on its own.

Question for the software tech experts - to Warner 25's point about his/her S3, I have a S4 - how risky do you feel it is to keep an older non-OS/security supported android if it has updated avast or other antivirus program running on it?

Only reason I'd upgrade is if it truly was a security risk. I deposit the occasional check, but only from my secured home wifi. Don't do any other financial or confidential transactions.

"Life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of eighty and gradually approach eighteen." Mark Twain

I passed my 5s to my husband, it’s been 5 years now. The battery didn’t work at one point and I took it to Apple store. They replaced with a brand new phone for $80. They don’t sell them anymore. Same with iPad, battery went dead yesterday. I took them to the Apple store in Hawaii, got a brand new Ipard for $100. Somehow, these batteries don’t last.

My wife and I are using 4 YO LG G3s. Hers quit completely about 6 months ago and she didn't want to learn how to work a new phone, so we bought a used G3 for a bit less than $100. Next time, I might upgrade to a used G4 or G5, but not until another complete failure.
It does help that the batteries are user replaceable! I am on my third.

Question for the software tech experts - to Warner 25's point about his/her S3, I have a S4 - how risky do you feel it is to keep an older non-OS/security supported android if it has updated avast or other antivirus program running on it?

Only reason I'd upgrade is if it truly was a security risk. I deposit the occasional check, but only from my secured home wifi. Don't do any other financial or confidential transactions.

Software developer here (but not a security expert). I'm running Android 2.3.6 that has never been updated and has no anti-virus software. And I will never (and have never) log into my banking website on my phone. Even from my secure home wi-fi, it is certainly possible that someone already exploited something when I wasn't on my secure home wi-fi that is keylogging or making my phone part of a botnet, etc.

Question for the software tech experts - to Warner 25's point about his/her S3, I have a S4 - how risky do you feel it is to keep an older non-OS/security supported android if it has updated avast or other antivirus program running on it?

Networking/mobile software dev here, I consider it risky. Android in particular has basically turned into what Windows used to be - lots of devices that can't be patched at all, lots of people running old/unpatched versions, and the install base is large enough that it's a very juicy target for exploit development.

I don't chase new tech or the latest thing, but I will upgrade my phone as soon as it's no longer getting security patches.

Edit: I'll also mention that many patch notes aren't transparent and don't mention all the numerous bugfixes/security holes fixed in the release. As an example, iOS upgrade notes are very light on details and will usually just highlight new features; exploit fixes are only mentioned if they got mainstream press (like the recent Spectre vulnerability, or the link that was crashing Messages), but that doesn't mean that they aren't chock full of other very important patches.

Current iOS release are supported back to the iPhone 5s. That's the minimum device I would use. I'd probably just upgrade to an SE, because it's roughly the same cost and a much better phone (performance and battery life). For android, I wouldn't use anything other than Samsung, Nexus, or Pixel phones because no other manufacturers have committed to solid patch schedules.

I'm still using a 5 year old iphone 5. I see no need to upgrade! Just put on a battery case from Amazon that allows me to use the phone all day without recharging. Who's with me? No new phones!!!

I was going to go that route with the new IOS update it really killed the battery on my 5s... I got a corporate discount on a 6S for $1 and there is no contract I moved to the new phone. Pretty much the same for me. I'll keep this one for a while.

My previous iphone's home button stopped working which forced me into the iphone 6s that I have now. The battery on the 6s is almost shot and I've been thinking about getting a new iphone until this iphone throttling scandal broke. Now it appears as if Apple will replace the batteries on all iphones 6 and newer for $29. I'm planning on taking advantage of that the next time I'm near one of their stores.

I just replaced the battery in my dying 5s DIY. Now it runs like a new one without a bulky battery case. cost for the battery: $20.

Where did you buy the battery? what equipment did you use to perform the swap. I am in precisely this situation with my 5s.

I recently swapped my iPhone 6 battery at Office Depot for $30. Looks like many places are pricing matching Apple’s battery replacement price due to batterygate. I was worried that Apple wouldn’t replace my battery since I had a third party battery installed a year ago.

But I’m with the op. Going to use this 6 until it dies. Actually thinking about reformatting it this weeekend.

Just sent my iphone 6 to Apple to get the $29 replacement battery. While waiting reactivated a 5c. It did the trick, for most of my needs. People thought I was crazy to invest in an old 6, but I was mostly happy with the 5c. Main pain point was thumbpring access. My employer makes us use long pwds if no thumbprint tech.

My previous iphone's home button stopped working which forced me into the iphone 6s that I have now. The battery on the 6s is almost shot and I've been thinking about getting a new iphone until this iphone throttling scandal broke. Now it appears as if Apple will replace the batteries on all iphones 6 and newer for $29. I'm planning on taking advantage of that the next time I'm near one of their stores.

Dropped my iPhone 4S on the ground 2 weeks ago, shattered the screen . Using my GF's old 6S now, honestly feels like a downgrade, much slower and no noticeable difference in quality of the screen apart from a slight size increase.

I'm still using a 5 year old iphone 5. I see no need to upgrade! Just put on a battery case from Amazon that allows me to use the phone all day without recharging. Who's with me? No new phones!!!

iPhone every two years is my general path. They make such big strides in how well the camera works that it's hard to pass up. Amazing how we can sort of watch the pictures get better as the kids get older. The pictures I took 7 years ago with my iPhone look so poor compared to todays pictures.